Show-rack



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. G. OASLER.

SHOW RACK.

No. 421,907. Patented Feb.25,18Q0.

(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. G. OASLER.

SHOW RACK.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet a1.

' B. G. GASLER.

SHOW RACK.

No. 421,907. Patented- Peb. 25, 890.

N ETERifholwLilhogrApher. Washinsdnm um.

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN G. OASLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SH OW- RAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,907, dated February25, 1890.

Application filed October 14:, 1889. Serial No. 326,912 (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN G. CASLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and usefullmprovements in show Racks for StoreWVindows, &c.; and I hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference'being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of ashowrack embodying the several features of my invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail view of the preferred construction of the cornerclamp ofthe frame. Fig. 3 is a view of a slightly-modified construction of thecornerclamp. Fig. 4 is a second modification of the corner-clamp, whichmay be employed where adjustability is not required. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail view of the spring'clamp; Fig. 6, an enlarged detachedview of the springclamp and adjuncts as adapted to display a shoe. Fig.7 is a similar view of the springclamp and adjuncts as adapted todisplay a hat, Fig. 8 is a modified arrangement of the devices adaptedto display shoes only. Fig. 9 is a modified arrangement of the devicesadapted to display hats only. Fig. 10 is a view of the curvedlocking-hook for securing the crossbar on the shelf-rod or shelf-arm.

Like symbols refer to like parts Wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of universal display-racks forshow-windows, and has for its object, first, to obtain a rack composedof asfew elements as possible, which elements shall be convertible andinterchangeable, so that by adjustment and arrangement of the severalparts there may be produced either a rack for showing a variety ofdifferent goods or a rack or racks for displaying separately one or moreof said variety of goods; second, to obtain a rack which shall be simplein construction, light in weight, symmetrical in form, easily takenapart and set up, and Withal rigid" and firm when 111 use.

' The present invention makes use of some features of construction whichare covered in my former patent, No. 398,027, granted February 19,1889-as, for instance, the manner of connecting the uprights orverticals and the main frame and of supporting the shelves by guys-andsuch features, while used for purposes of illustration, are not claimedherein.

Among the novel features of the present invention are, first, acorner-clamp for the frame, composed of a block having on its oppositefaces seats for the frame-bars and means for clamping the said bars tothe block, whereby strength and rigidity of the structure are obtained,and, second, a lockinghook for adjustably securing the cross-bar to theshelf-bar, which features are universally available in the constructionof the frames of display-racks.

A further novel feature, which is more especially useful in displayingsuch articles as hats, bonnets, shoes, &c., which require either asupport throughout or a detached support, consists in a spring-clampadapted to. clamp the cross-bar of the frame and provided with a rod,tube, or sleeve for carrying the detached rod which supports the articleto be displayed.

There are other minor features of invention, which will hereinafter morefully appear.

Iwill now proceed to describe my invention more specifically, so thatothers may apply the same.

In the drawings, 1 1 indicate the verticals or uprights which are tosupport the rack or frame. 2 2 indicate the side bars of the frame orvertical frame-bars; 3 3, the cross supports or cross-bars of the frame;4 at, shelf-bars; 5 5, cross-bars for the shelves, and 6 6 the guys orchains which support the free ends of the shelf-bars 4 4.

' The parts 1,2, 3, and 5 of the rack are preferably tubular, aslightness, strength, and rigidity are thus obtained; but solid bars maybe used, if preferred. The foot of the vertical 1 may be provided with abase 7, or where the side bars 2 2 of the frame are used the base may bedispensed with if the said side bars are extended down sufficiently torest on the floor which supports the rack. Where any adjustableinclination of the frame of the display-rack is desired, the verticals 11 and side bars 2 2 are connected pivotally, either by pivoting the sidebars 2 2 of the frame on the slide a, which slide is adjustable on theverticals 1 1 by means of a set-screw b, as shown in my former patent,hereinbefore to bind on one bar and a set-screw 9 to bind on the otherbar, and thus adj ustably secure the part, so as to vary at will thesize of the frame; or where adjustment is not required the yoke 9 may besecured to one of the bars by screws 9, as in Fig. 3, or a through-boltand a nut may be substituted for the yoke, as

shown in Fig. 4, as the securing features are of minor importance, theessential feature being the corner-block having grooves on its oppositefaces, which prevent motion and insures the rigidity of the frame.

4 4 indicate the shelf-bars, each having at one end a sleeve, collar, oreye 4, by which it is secured at its inner end to the cross-bar 3, andhaving its opposite end flattened and curved, as at 4 to form a hookwhich enters a link of the guy 6,by which guy said arm is supported orsustained at its outer end. The shelf-arms 4 4 are usually rods of lessdiameter than the cross-bars 5 5, and the latter are perforated topermit of the ends of the shelf rods or arms 4 4 passing through.

In order to adj ust'and secure the cross-bars 5 5 after they have beenthreaded on the shelf-bars44, I provide a curved locking-hook 10, havingan eye 10, by which it is threaded on the arm 4 on one side of cross bar5, and a hook 10 which engages the arm 4 on the other side of cross-bar5. I have found this device to be a neat and efficient means of securingthe cross-bars 5 5 to the shelf-arms 4 4. It will be evident that thiscurved hook may be used to secure the cross-bar 5 to the shelf rod orarms 4 without passing the arm 4 through the cross-bar 5, if desired.The shelfsupports thus constructed may have plateglass shelves, and willbe found admirably adapted to display the majority of goods found instores; but in order to display hats, bonnets, shoes, &c., it isdesirable to support the article in various detached positions, whichdisplay the different sides or parts of the article. For this latterpurpose I provide a spring-clamp, which can be firmly secured to thecross bars or rods 3 of the frame without marring or disfiguring thecross-bar, and consequently can be changed from one point to another onthe bar, as desired. This springclamp 11 (see Fig. 5) is preferablyformed from a sheet or broad metal strip of sufficient width to obtain afirm grip or bind on the fra'merod 3 without marring the same. Saidsheet is folded, as at 12, to form the jaws of the clamp, curved ordepressed, as at 13, to conform to the shape of the frame rod or barwith which the clamp is used, and provided with a bolt and not orequivalent means for tightening the jaws of the clamp or causing it tograsp the frame-rod. The fold at 14 will afford all the spring requiredin the clamp. The sheet is then extended at right angles or bent to forman arm 15, if the character of the goods to be displayed requires it,and again at right angles or in a plane parallelwith the clampseetion 12to form a rod, tube, orsleeve 16. In case it is desired to display ashoe (see Figs. 1 and 8) this armor offset 15 will afford a support forthe heel of the shoe to rest on and the shoe will beheld upright andsecured by a bent rod 17, one arm of which is threaded and passesthrough the sleeve 16, where it is provided with a thumb-nut 17, whilethe other arm projects down into, the shoe. By means of the thumb-nut 17the rod 17 may be adjusted to clamp and hold the shoe firmly in anupright position upon arm 15. In case it is desired to display a hatorbonnet (see Figs. 1 and 9) the bent rod 17 is passed through the sleeve16, as before, and is secured and adjusted by a clamp-nut 17"; but theposition of the bent rod is reversed, and on its ends are secured disksor circles 18, or their. equivalent. The arm or offset 15 will nowafford a support for the crown of a hat, and in order to prevent the hatfrom rolling off the horns or curved arms 19 may be secured to the arm15 by means of the same bolt and nut which secure the clamping-jaws 12,or otherwise.

The construction of the several parts of the show rack and the manner ofcombining the parts or setting up the rack, as a whole, where it isdesired to display a variety of goods-such as gents furnishingson a sin=gle rack, appears fully in Fig. 1 and has been hereinbefore pointed out;but it is evi= dent that the spring-clamp 11 and its adjuncts may beused with any rod-rack; or several different forms of rod-racks may bereadily arranged from the verticals 1, cross= rods 8, and clamps O and11 by a simple re= arrangement of the parts, as indicated in Figs. 8 and9, and I do not therefore desire to be limited to the particular formsof rack shown herein, intending hereby to claim, broadly, the novelfeatures hereinbefore described independent of the particular char acteror class of rack considered as a whole.

I am aware that tubular or sleeve slides adapted to be moved onstandards and provided with set-screws, whereby they may be secured tothe standards, said sleeve-slides also provided with rod-sockets andbar-rests, have heretofore been devised for constructing showracks, andI do not herein claim such devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a show-rack, the combination, with frame bars, of a corner=blockhaving bargrooves on its opposite faces and a clamp for securing thebars to the corner-block, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

2. In a show-rack, the combination, with frame-bars, of a corner-blockhaving bargrooves on its opposite faces and a yoke or stirrup-clamp forsecuring the bars to the corner-block, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

3. In a show-rack, the combination, with frame-bars, of a corner-blockhaving bargrooves on its opposite faces, a detachable yoke orstirrup-clamp having grapples for engagingone of the framebars, and asetscrew, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4:. In a show rack, the combination, with a shelf-bar, of a cross-barperforated for the passage of the shelfbar and a curved or clamp hookarrangedon the shelf-bar and adapted to clamp the crossbar,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a show-rack, the combination, with a shelf-bar, of across-bar anda curved clamp- 7. In a show-rack, the combination, with a frame-bar, ofa spring-clamp having an arm or offset at an angle to the clamp and arod tube or sleeve, and a bent rod adjustable in said sleeve,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. 111 a show-rack, the combination, with a frame-bar, of a spring-clamphaving an arm or offset at an angle to the clamp and a rod tube orsleeve, and a bent rod adjustable in the rod-tube and provided at itsends with disks, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. In a show rack, the combination, with a frame-bar, of a spring=c1amphaving an arm or offset at an angle to the clamp and horns or curvedarms secured to said clamp, sub stantially as and for the purposesspecified.

10. The sheet metal clamp 11., having clamping jaws 12, arm or offset15, and rod tube or sleeve 16, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 9th day of October, 1889.

BENJAMIN G. CASLER.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. OSBORNE H. S. SPRAGUE.

